Czech Republic

Compiled from the September 2006 Background Note and supplemented with additional information from the State Department and the editors of this volume. See the introduction to this set for explanatory notes.

Official Name:
Czech Republic

PROFILE

PEOPLE

HISTORY

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

ECONOMY

NATIONAL SECURITY

FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-CZECH RELATIONS

TRAVEL

PROFILE

Geography

Area: 78,864 sq. kilometers; about the size of Virginia.

Cities: Capital—Prague (pop. 1.16 million). Other cities—Brno (376,172), Ostrava (314,744), Plzen (165,529).

Terrain: Low mountains to the north and south, hills in the west. Climate: Temperate.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective—Czech(s).

Population: (est.) 10.2 million.

Annual growth rate: 0.1%.

Ethnic groups: Czech (90.4% or 9.25 million); Moravian (more than 380,000); Slovak (193,000); Roma (171,000); Silesian (11,000); Polish (52,000); German (39,000); Ukrainian (22,000); and Vietnamese (18,000).

Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant.

Language: Czech.

Education: Literacy—99.8%.

Health: Life expectancy—males 72.3 yrs., females 78.5 yrs.

Work force: (5.13 million) Industry, construction, and commerce—54.3%; government and other services—41%; agriculture—4.7%.

Government

Type: Parliamentary republic.

Independence: The Czech Republic was established January 1, 1993 (former Czechoslovak state established 1918).

Constitution: Signed December 16, 1992.

Government branches: Executive—president (chief of state), prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative—Chamber of Deputies, Senate. Judicial—Supreme Court, Constitutional Court.

Political parties: (June 2006 election) Civic Democratic Party (ODS), 81 seats; Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), 74 seats; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM), 26 seats; Christian and Democratic Union-Czechoslovak Peoples Party (KDU-CSL), 13 seats; Green Party (SZ), 6 seats.

Suffrage: Universal at 18.

Political subdivisions: Two regions—Bohemia and Moravia; 13 administrative districts and Prague.

Economy

GDP: (2005) $109.3 billion.

Per capital income: $10,710.

Natural resources: Coal, coke, timber, lignite, uranium, magnesite.

Agriculture: Products—wheat, rye, oats, corn, barley, hops, potatoes, sugar beets, hogs, cattle, horses.

Industry: Types—motor vehicles, machinery and equipment, iron, steel, cement, sheet glass, armaments, chemicals, ceramics, wood, paper products, and footwear.

Trade: (2005) Exports—$79 billion (est.) motor vehicles, machinery, iron, steel, chemicals, raw materials, consumer goods. Imports—$78 billion (est.). Trading partners—Germany (32%), Slovakia, Poland, France, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, U.K., China, United States.

PEOPLE

The majority of the 10.2 million inhabitants of the Czech Republic are ethnically and linguistically Czech (95%). Other ethnic groups include Germans, Roma, and Poles. After the 1993 division of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, some Slovaks remained in the Czech Republic and comprise roughly 3% of the current population. The border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia is open for citizens of the former Czechoslovakia. Laws establishing religious freedom were passed shortly after the revolution of 1989, lifting oppressive regulations enacted by the former communist regime. Major denominations and their estimated percentage populations are Roman Catholic (39%) and Protestant (3%). A large percentage of the Czech population claim to be atheists (40%), and 16% describe themselves as uncertain. The Jewish community numbers a few thousand today; a synagogue in Prague memorializes the names of more than 80,000 Czechoslovak Jews who perished in World War II.

HISTORY

The Czech Republic was the western part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. Formed into a common state after World War I (October 28, 1918), the Czechs, Moravians, and Slovaks remained united for almost 75 years. On January 1, 1993, the two republics split to form two separate states.

The Czechs lost their national independence to the Hapsburgs Empire in 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain and for the next 300 years were ruled by the Austrian Monarchy. With the collapse of the monarchy at the end of World War I, the independent country of Czechoslovakia was formed, encouraged by, among others, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson.

Despite cultural differences, the Slovaks shared with the Czechs similar aspirations for independence from the Hapsburg state and voluntarily united with the Czechs. For historical reasons, Slovaks were not at the same level of economic and technological development as the Czechs, but the freedom and opportunity found in Czechoslovakia enabled them to make strides toward overcoming these inequalities. However, the gap never was fully bridged, and the discrepancy played a continuing role throughout the 75 years of the union.

Although Czechoslovakia was the only east European country to remain a parliamentary democracy from 1918 to 1938, it was plagued with minority problems, the most important of which concerned the country’s large German population. Constituting more than 22% of the interwar state’s population and largely concentrated in the Bohemian and Moravian border regions (the Sudetenland), members of this minority, including some who were sympathetic to Nazi Germany, undermined the new Czechoslovak state. Internal and external pressures culminated in September 1938, when France and the United Kingdom yielded to Nazi pressures at Munich and agreed to force Czechoslovakia to cede the Sudetenland to Germany.

Fulfilling Hitler’s aggressive designs on all of Czechoslovakia, Germany invaded what remained of Bohemia and Moravia in March 1939, establishing a German “protectorate.” By this time, Slovakia had already declared independence and had become a puppet state of the Germans.

At the close of World War II, Soviet troops overran all of Slovakia, Moravia, and much of Bohemia, including Prague. In May 1945, U.S. forces liberated the city of Plzen and most of western Bohemia. A civilian uprising against the German garrison took place in Prague in May 1945. Following Germany’s surrender, some 2.9 million ethnic Germans were expelled from Czechoslovakia with Allied approval under the Benes Decrees.

Reunited after the war, the Czechs and Slovaks set national elections for the spring of 1946. The democratic elements, led by President Eduard Benes, hoped the Soviet Union would allow Czechoslovakia the freedom to choose its own form of government and aspired to a Czechoslovakia that would act as a bridge between East and West. The Czechoslovak Communist Party, which won 38% of the vote, held most of the key positions in the government and gradually managed to neutralize or silence the anti-communist forces. Although the communist-led government initially intended to participate in the Marshall Plan, it was forced by Moscow to back out. Under the cover of superficial legality, the Communist Party seized power in February 1948.

After extensive purges modeled on the Stalinist pattern in other east European states, the Communist Party tried 14 of its former leaders in November 1952 and sentenced 11 to death. For more than a decade thereafter, the Czechoslovak communist political structure was characterized by the orthodoxy of the leadership of party chief Antonin Novotny.

The 1968 Soviet Invasion

The communist leadership allowed token reforms in the early 1960s, but discontent arose within the ranks of the Communist Party central committee, stemming from dissatisfaction with the slow pace of the economic reforms, resistance to cultural liberalization, and the desire of the Slovaks within the leadership for greater autonomy for their republic. This discontent expressed itself with the removal of Novotny from party leadership in January 1968 and from the presidency in March. He was replaced as party leader by a Slovak, Alexander Dubcek.

After January 1968, the Dubcek leadership took practical steps toward political, social, and economic reforms. In addition, it called for politico-military changes in the Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact and Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. The leadership affirmed its loyalty to socialism and the Warsaw Pact but also expressed the desire to improve relations with all countries of the world regardless of their social systems.

A program adopted in April 1968 set guidelines for a modern, humanistic socialist democracy that would guarantee, among other things, freedom of religion, press, assembly, speech, and travel; a program that, in Dubcek’s words, would give socialism “a human face.” After 20 years of little public participation, the population gradually started to take interest in the government, and Dubcek became a truly popular national figure.

The internal reforms and foreign policy statements of the Dubcek leadership created great concern among some other Warsaw Pact governments. On the night of August 20, 1968, Soviet, Hungarian, Bulgarian, East German, and Polish troops invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Government immediately declared that the troops had not been invited into the country

and that their invasion was a violation of socialist principles, international law, and the UN Charter.

The principal Czechoslovak reformers were forcibly and secretly taken to the Soviet Union. Under obvious Soviet duress, they were compelled to sign a treaty that provided for the “temporary stationing” of an unspecified number of Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia. Dubcek was removed as party First Secretary on April 17, 1969, and replaced by another Slovak, Gustav Husak. Later, Dubcek and many of his allies within the party were stripped of their party positions in a purge that lasted until 1971 and reduced party membership by almost one-third.

The 1970s and 1980s became known as the period of “normalization,” in which the apologists for the 1968 Soviet invasion prevented, as best they could, any opposition to their conservative regime. Political, social, and economic life stagnated. The population, cowed by the “normalization,” was quiet.

The Velvet Revolution

The roots of the 1989 Civic Forum movement that came to power during the “Velvet Revolution” lie in human rights activism. On January 1, 1977, more than 250 human rights activists signed a manifesto called the Charter 77, which criticized the government for failing to implement human rights provisions of documents it had signed, including the state’s own constitution; international covenants on political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights; and the Final Act of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Although not organized in any real sense, the signatories of Charter 77 constituted a citizens’ initiative aimed at inducing the Czechoslovak Government to observe formal obligations to respect the human rights of its citizens.

On November 17, 1989, the communist police violently broke up a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration and brutally beat many student participants. In the days that followed, Charter 77 and other groups united to become the Civic Forum, an umbrella group championing bureaucratic reform and civil liberties. Its leader was the dissident playwright Vaclav Havel. Intentionally eschewing the label “party,” a word given a negative connotation during the previous regime, Civic Forum quickly gained the support of millions of Czechs, as did its Slovak counterpart, Public Against Violence.

Faced with an overwhelming popular repudiation, the Communist Party all but collapsed. Its leaders, Husak and party chief Milos Jakes, resigned in December 1989, and Havel was elected President of Czechoslovakia on December 29. The astonishing quickness of these events was in part due to the unpopularity of the communist regime and changes in the policies of its Soviet guarantor as well as to the rapid, effective organization of these public initiatives into a viable opposition.

A coalition government, in which the Communist Party had a minority of ministerial positions, was formed in December 1989. The first free elections in Czechoslovakia since 1946 took place in June 1990 without incident and with more than 95% of the population voting. As anticipated, Civic Forum and Public Against Violence won landslide victories in their respective republics and gained a comfortable majority in the federal parliament. The parliament undertook substantial steps toward securing the democratic evolution of Czechoslovakia. It successfully moved toward fair local elections in November 1990, ensuring fundamental change at the county and town level.

Civic Forum found, however, that although it had successfully completed its primary objective—the overthrow of the communist regime—it was ineffectual as a governing party. The demise of Civic Forum was viewed by most as necessary and inevitable.

By the end of 1990, unofficial parliamentary “clubs” had evolved with distinct political agendas. Most influential was the Civic Democratic Party, headed by Vaclav Klaus, who later became Prime Minister. Other notable parties that came to the fore after the split were the Czech Social Democratic Party, Civic Movement, and Civic Democratic Alliance.

By 1992, Slovak calls for greater autonomy effectively blocked the daily functioning of the federal government. In the election of June 1992, Klaus’s Civic Democratic Party won handily in the Czech lands on a platform of economic reform. Vladimir Meciar’s Movement for a Democratic Slovakia emerged as the leading party in Slovakia, basing its appeal on fairness to Slovak demands for autonomy. Federalists, like Havel, were unable to contain the trend toward the split. In July 1992, President Havel resigned. In the latter half of 1992, Klaus and Meciar hammered out an agreement that the two republics would go their separate ways by the end of the year.

Members of the federal parliament, divided along national lines, barely cooperated enough to pass the law officially separating the two nations. The law was passed on December 27, 1992. On January 1, 1993, the Czech Republic and the Republic of Slovakia were simultaneously and peacefully founded.

Relationships between the two states, despite occasional disputes about the division of federal property and governing of the border, have been peaceful. Both states attained immediate recognition from the U.S. and their European neighbors.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS

The President of the Czech Republic is Vaclav Klaus. He was elected on February 28, 2003 and sworn into office on March 7, 2003. As formal head of state, the president is granted specific powers such as the right to nominate Constitutional Court judges, dissolve parliament under certain conditions, and enact a veto on legislation. Presidents are elected by the parliament for 5-year terms.

The legislature is bicameral, with a Chamber of Deputies (200 seats) and a Senate (81 seats). With the split of the former Czechoslovakia, the powers and responsibilities of the now defunct federal parliament were transferred to the Czech National Council, which renamed itself the Chamber of Deputies. Chamber delegates are elected from 14 regions—including the capital, Prague—for 4-year terms, on the basis of proportional representation. The Czech Senate is patterned after the U.S. Senate and was first elected in 1996; its members serve for 6-year terms with one-third being elected every 2 years. The country’s highest court of appeal is the Supreme Court. The Constitutional Court, which rules on constitutional issues, is appointed by the president. Its members serve 10-year terms.

Principal Government Officials

Last Updated: 9/14/2006

President: Vaclav KLAUS

Prime Minister: Mirek TOPOLANEK

Dep. Prime Min.: Petr NECAS

Min. of Agriculture: Milena VICENOVA

Min. of Culture: Martin STEPANEK

Min. of Defense: Jiri SEDIVY

Min. of Education & Youth: Miroslava KOPICOVA

Min. of Environment: Petr KALAS

Min. of Finance: Vlastimil TLUSTY

Min. of Foreign Affairs: Alexandr VONDRA

Min. of Health: Tomas JULINEK

Min. of Industry & Trade: Martin RIMAN

Min. of Informatics: Ivan LANGER

Min. of Interior: Ivan LANGER

Min. of Justice: Jiri POSPISIL

Min. of Labor & Social Affairs: Petr NECAS

Min. of Regional Development: Petr GANDALOVIC

Min. of Transportation: Ales REBICEK Governor, Czech National Bank: Zdenek TUMA

Ambassador to the US: Martin PALOUS Permanent Representative to the UN, New York: Hynek KMONICEK

The Czech Republic maintains an embassy at 3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, (tel. 202-274-9101).

ECONOMY

Of the former communist countries in central and eastern Europe, the Czech Republic has one of the most developed and industrialized economies. Its strong industrial tradition dates to the 19th century, when Bohemia and Moravia were the industrial heartland of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Czech Republic has a well-educated population and a well-developed infrastructure. The country’s strategic location in Europe, low-cost structure, and skilled work force have attracted strong inflows of foreign direct investment. This investment is rapidly modernizing its industrial base and increasing productivity.

The principal industries are motor vehicles, machine-building, iron and steel production, metalworking, chemicals, electronics, transportation equipment, textiles, glass, brewing, china, ceramics, and pharmaceuticals. The main agricultural products are sugar beets, fodder roots, potatoes, wheat, and hops. As a small, open economy in the heart of Europe, economic growth is strongly influenced by demand for Czech exports and flows of foreign direct investment.

At the time of the 1948 communist takeover, Czechoslovakia had a balanced economy and one of the higher levels of industrialization on the continent. In 1948, however, the government began to stress heavy industry over agricultural and consumer goods and services. Many basic industries and foreign trade, as well as domestic wholesale trade, had been nationalized before the communists took power. Nationalization of most of the retail trade was completed in 1950-51.

Heavy industry received major economic support during the 1950s, but central planning resulted in waste and inefficient use of industrial resources. Although the labor force was traditionally skilled and efficient, inadequate incentives for labor and management contributed to high labor turnover, low productivity, and poor product quality. Economic failures reached a critical stage in the 1960s, after which various reform measures were sought with no satisfactory results.

Hope for wide-ranging economic reform came with Alexander Dubcek’s rise in January 1968. Despite renewed efforts, however, Czechoslovakia could not come to grips with inflationary forces, much less begin the immense task of correcting the economy’s basic problems.

The economy saw growth during the 1970s but then stagnated between 1978-82. Attempts at revitalizing it in the 1980s with management and worker incentive programs were largely unsuccessful. The economy grew after 1982, achieving an annual average output growth of more than 3% between 1983-85. Imports from the West were curtailed, exports boosted, and hard currency debt reduced substantially. New investment was made in the electronic, chemical, and pharmaceutical sectors, which were industry leaders in eastern Europe in the mid-1980s.

The “Velvet Revolution” in 1989 offered a chance for profound and sustained economic reform. Signs of economic resurgence began to appear in the wake of the shock therapy that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) labeled the “big bang” of January 1991. Since then, astute economic management has led to the elimination of 95% of all price controls, large inflows of foreign investment, increasing domestic consumption and industrial production, and a stable exchange rate. Exports to former communist economic bloc markets have shifted to western Europe. Thanks to foreign investment, the country enjoys a positive balance-of-payments position. Despite a general trend over the last 10 years toward rising budget deficits, the Czech Government’s domestic and foreign indebtedness remains relatively low.

The Czech koruna (crown) became fully convertible for most business purposes in late 1995. Following a currency crisis and recession in 1998-99, the crown exchange rate was allowed to float. Recently, strong capital inflows have resulted in a steady increase in the value of the crown against the euro and the dollar. The strong crown helped to keep inflation low. In 2004, it was about 2.8%, mainly due to increases in value added tax rates and higher fuel costs, and hovered at 2% for 2005. The Czech National Bank forecasts inflation of 2.4-2.8% for 2006. The Czech Republic plans to adopt the euro in 2010.

The Czech Republic is gradually reducing its dependence on highly polluting low-grade brown coal as a source of energy, in part because of EU environmental requirements. According to the OECD, in 2003, fossil fuel plants accounted for 80.4% of the nation’s total primary energy supply. Two nuclear plants contributed 15.3% and biomass and hydro plants the remaining 4.3%. Russia (via pipelines through Ukraine) and, to a lesser extent, Norway (via pipelines through Germany) supply the Czech Republic with liquid and natural gas.

The government has offered investment incentives in order to enhance the Czech Republic’s natural advantages, thereby attracting foreign partners and stimulating the economy. Shifting emphasis from the East to the West has necessitated adjustment of commercial laws and accounting practices to fit Western standards. Formerly state-owned banks have all been privatized into the hands of west European banks and oversight by the central bank has improved. The telecommunications infrastructure has been upgraded and the sector is privatized. The Czech Republic has made significant progress toward creating a stable and attractive climate for investment, although continuing reports of corruption are troubling to investors.

Its success allowed the Czech Republic to become the first post-communist country to receive an investment-grade credit rating by international credit institutions. Successive Czech governments have welcomed U.S. investment in addition to the strong economic influence of western Europe and increasing investment from Asian auto manufacturers. Inflows of foreign direct investment in 2005 were $10 billion, doubling the previous year’s total. By U.S. Embassy estimates, the United States is among the top five investors in the Czech Republic since the revolution. The Czech Republic boasts a flourishing consumer production sector. In the early 1990s most state-owned industries were privatized through a voucher privatization system. Every citizen was given the opportunity to buy, for a moderate price, a book of vouchers that he or she could exchange for shares in state-owned companies. State ownership of businesses was estimated to be about 97% under communism. The non-private sector is less than 20% today.

Unemployment was running about 8% through 2005. Rates of unemployment are higher in the coal and steel producing regions of Northern Moravia and Northern Bohemia, and among less-skilled and older workers.

The economy grew 6.1% in 2005 and should experience similar growth in 2006. While the outgoing government had committed itself to reducing the deficit to 3% of GDP by 2008 to meet the Maastricht requirements for adoption of the euro, and had taken some steps to reduce expenditures and raise revenues, its 2007 draft budget deficit of CZK 88 billion means a 4.2% deficit, rendering adoption of the euro in 2010 impossible, especially in view of an audit carried out by the new Finance Minister Vlastimil Tlusty who claims the deficit will be somewhere between CZK 101 billion and 127 billion.

The Czech Republic became a European Union (EU) member on May 1, 2004. Most barriers to trade in industrial goods with the EU fell in the course of the accession process. The process of accession had a positive impact on reform in the Czech Republic, and new EU directives and regulations continue to shape the business environment. Free trade in services and agricultural goods, as well as stronger regulation and rising labor costs, will mean tougher competition for Czech producers. Future levels of EU structural funding and agricultural supports were key issues in the accession negotiations. Even before accession, policy set in Brussels had a strong influence on Czech domestic and foreign policy, particularly in the area of trade.

The Czech Republic’s economic transformation is not yet complete. The government still faces serious challenges in completing industrial restructuring, increasing transparency in capital market transactions, transforming the housing sector, reforming the pension and health care systems, and solving serious environmental problems.

NATIONAL SECURITY

The Czech Republic has made a significant contribution to the War on Terrorism relative to its size. It deployed a nuclear/biological/chemical (NBC) defense unit in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and a field hospital in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. When the U.S. intervened in Iraq, the Czechs moved their field hospital from Afghanistan to Basra and deployed an NBC unit to Kuwait. Both the field hospital and the NBC unit have now returned home. Currently, the Czechs are supplying a military police unit to Iraq. The Czechs are providing a number of civilian training and assistance programs, including training Iraqi judges, police, diplomats, medical personnel, and others in both the Czech Republic and the Middle East. In April 2004, the Czech Government deployed a Special Forces unit to OEF in Afghanistan, and a group of specialists to ISAF. The Special Forces unit returned to the Czech Republic in September 2004. In March 2005, the Czechs deployed military reconnaissance troops to serve with a German-led Provincial Reconstruction Team under ISAF.

The Czech Republic became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on March 12, 1999. A major overhaul of the Czechoslovak defense forces began in 1990 and continues in the Czech Republic. Czech forces are being downsized from 200,000 to approximately 35,000, and at the same time reoriented toward a more mobile, deployable force structure. The Czechs have made good progress in reforming the military personnel structure, and a strong commitment to English-language training is paying off. Compulsory military service ended in December 2004. Public support for NATO membership remains around 50%-60%. The Czech Government currently spends slightly less than 2% of GDP on defense. This puts Czech defense spending on a par with the European NATO average.

The Czech Republic has good to excellent relations with all of its neighbors, and none of its borders are in question. The Czech Republic is a member of the UN and OSCE and has contributed to numerous peacekeeping operations, including IFOR/SFOR in Bosnia and KFOR in Kosovo, as well as Desert Shield/Desert Storm and Enduring Freedom.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

From 1948 until 1989, the foreign policy of Czechoslovakia followed that of the Soviet Union. Since independence, the Czechs have made integration into Western institutions their chief foreign policy objective.

The Czech Republic became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, along with Poland and Hungary, on March 12, 1999. The Czech Republic became a full member of the European Union on May 1, 2004. Both events are milestones in the country’s foreign policy and security orientation. The Czech Republic is scheduled to host the rotating EU Presidency during the first half of 2009.

The Czech Republic is a member of the United Nations and participates in its specialized agencies. It is a member of the World Trade Organization. It maintains diplomatic relations with more than 85 countries, of which 80 have permanent representation in Prague.

U.S.-CZECH RELATIONS

Millions of Americans have their roots in Bohemia and Moravia, and a large community in the United States has strong cultural and familial ties with the Czech Republic. President Woodrow Wilson and the United States played a major role in the establishment of the original Czechoslovak state on October 28, 1918. President Wilson’s 14 Points, including the right of ethnic groups to form their own states, were the basis for the union of the Czechs and Slovaks. Tomas Masaryk, the father of the state and its first President, visited the United States during World War I and worked with U.S. officials in developing the basis of the new country. Masaryk used the U.S. Constitution as a model for the first Czechoslovak constitution.

After World War II, and the return of the Czechoslovak Government in exile, normal relations continued until 1948, when the communists seized power. Relations cooled rapidly. The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in August 1968 further complicated U.S.-Czechoslovak relations. The United States referred the matter to the UN Security Council as a violation of the UN Charter, but no action was taken against the Soviets.

Since the “Velvet Revolution” of 1989, bilateral relations have improved immensely. Dissidents once sustained by U.S. encouragement and human rights policies reached high levels in the government. President Havel, in his first official visit as head of Czechoslovakia, addressed the U.S. Congress and was interrupted 21 times by standing ovations. In 1990, on the first anniversary of the revolution, President George H.W. Bush, in front of an enthusiastic crowd on Prague’s Wenceslas Square, pledged U.S. support in building a democratic Czechoslovakia. Toward this end, the U.S. Government has actively encouraged political and economic transformation.

The U.S. Government was originally opposed to the idea of Czechoslovakia forming two separate states, due to concerns that a split might aggravate existing regional political tensions. However, the U.S. recognized both the Czech Republic and Slovakia on January 1, 1993. Since then, U.S.-Czech relations have remained strong economically, politically, and culturally.

Relations between the U.S. and the Czech Republic are excellent and reflect the common approach both have to the many challenges facing the world at present. The U.S. looks to the Czech Republic as a partner in issues ranging from Afghanistan to the Balkans, and seeks opportunities to continue to deepen this relationship.

Principal U.S. Embassy Officials

PRAGUE (M) Address: Trziste 15, 11801 Praha 1, CR; APO/FPO: Unit 5630 Box 1000, DPO AE 09727-1000; Phone: (420) 257 022 000; Fax: [420] 257 022 806; Workweek: 8:00–4:30 Monday–Friday; Website: www.usembassy.cz.

Last Updated: 11/27/2006

TRAVEL

Consular Information Sheet : October 31, 2006

Country Description: The Czech Republic is located in the heart of Europe. Tourist facilities in Prague are at the level of those found in most European capitals, while travelers can expect lower standards outside of Prague. Travelers are encouraged to be vigilant as pick-pocketing and petty theft occurs often in crowded tourist areas, restaurants and on public transportation.

Entry Requirements: A passport is required to be valid for 3 months beyond a visitor’s intended stay. Visas are not required for U.S. citizens for tourist, short study or business visits of up to 90 days. Visas are required for U.S. citizens for longer stays and for any gainful activity. The Embassy of the Czech Republic’s website at http://www.mzv.cz/wa shington provides for the most current visa information. The Czech Government requires that you have proof of finances to pay for your stay and for you to have travel/health insurance and is requiring proof of medical insurance for travelers to the Czech Republic. Minimum coverage of the insurance has to be at least $35,000.

According to the Czech Government, a health insurance card or an internationally recognized credit card with health insurance included will generally be accepted as proof of insurance to enter the Republic. The health insurance requirement does not apply to those who have visas permitting them to work.

Safety and Security: Civil disorder is rare in the Czech Republic, although strikes and demonstrations may occur. U.S. citizens should be vigilant in protecting their security, bearing in mind that even demonstrations meant to be peaceful may turn violent. Americans are advised to avoid street demonstrations.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Internet web site, where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays.

Crime: The Czech Republic generally has a low rate of crime. However, street crime –particularly pick-pocketing and occasional mugging –is a problem, especially in major tourist areas in Prague. Travelers are encouraged to be especially vigilant in Prague’s restaurants, train stations, and on public transportation around the city center. Reported incidents of pick pocketing in 2005 were up by 2 percent over 2004. Incidents of violent crime, while still relatively infrequent, are becoming more common in Prague. Travelers should be aware of the reported use of rohypnol, and other “date rape” drugs in the Czech Republic. Caution should be used when accepting open drinks at bars or clubs. Travelers should be very careful while riding trains, trams or metro, where most crime occurs. Keep a copy of your passport in a safe place separate from the passport itself; this copy can help you to apply for a new passport if yours is lost or stolen. Visitors should be alert to the potential for substantial overcharging by taxis, particularly in areas frequented by tourists. Radio-dispatched taxis are often much more reliable. It is also advisable to set the price in advance.

Information for Victims of Crime: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy or Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, to contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Prague has good Western –style medical clinics with English-speaking doctors and dentists. However, staff members at the majority of Czech medical facilities do not speak English. Doctors and hospitals often expect cash payment for health services, though some facilities do accept credit cards, Hospitalization in the Czech Republic is much more liberal that in the United States; conditions that would be treated on an outpatient basis in the United States are often treated on an inpatient basis in the Czech Republic. Ambulance services are not on a par with U.S. standards. Response time can sometimes be slow, and different ambulances are dispatched depending on the perceived severity of the patient’s condition. Many ambulance companies expect payment at the time of delivery. Serious medical problems requiring hospitalization and//or medical evacuation to the United States can cost thousands of dollars or more. Please note that because euthanasia is not permitted under Czech law, U.S. living wills providing for no exceptional interventions to prolong life cannot be honored in the Czech Republic.

People traveling from April-October who plan to participate in camping or hiking in long grass or woodlands run the risk of both tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. All travelers should take precautions to prevent tick bites. There is a vaccine for the former, but not for Lyme disease.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRTP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s Internet site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website at http://www.who.int/en. Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith.

Medical Insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.

Traffic Safety and Road Conditions: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Serbia and Montenegro is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Travelers should note that road fatalities are occurring at an increasing rate in the Czech Republic, placing it amongst the most lethal places to drive in Europe. First-class roads in the Czech Republic generally meet European standards. However, on side roads, drivers should be prepared to encounter uneven surfaces, irregular lane markings and sign placements that are not clear. Streets in towns are not always in good condition. U.S. drivers should pay special attention to driving on cobblestone and among streetcars in historic city centers. Traffic lights are placed before the intersection and not after as in the United States. Speed limits are 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h outside of towns and 130 km/h on highways. An International Driving Permit (IDP), available from AAA (in the United States only), must accompany a U.S. driver’s license; failure to have the IDP with a valid license may result in denial of an insurance claim after an accident.

Persons driving into the Czech Republic should be aware that a road usage tax sticker is required to drive legally on major highways. Signs stating this requirement are posted near the border, but they are easy to miss. The stickers are available at gasoline stations. The fine for failing to display a motorways toll sticker is assessed on the spot.

For specific information concerning Czech requirements for driver’s permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact the Czech Tourist Authority offices in New York by telephone at (212) 288-0830 or via email at [email protected].

Visit the websites of the Czech Republic’s national tourist office and national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.turistik.cz and http://www.turistik.cz and http://www.mdcr.cz.

Aviation Safety Oversight: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Czech Republic’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards for oversight of the Czech Republic’s air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s Internet web site at www.faa.gov.

Special Circumstances: Czech customs authorities enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from the Czech Republic of items such as firearms, antiquities, medications, business equipment, etc. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, D.C, or the Consulates General of the Czech Republic in New York and Los Angeles for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Criminal Penalties: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Serbia and Montenegro laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Serbia and Montenegro are strict and convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.

Children’s Issues: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children’s Issues website at http://travel.state.gov/family/family_1732.html.

Registration/Embassy and Consulate Locations: Americans living in the Czech Republic are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy of Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within the Czech Republic. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy in Prague is located at Trziste 15, 118 01 Prague, Czech Republic; telephone (420) 257 530 663; for after-hours emergencies only, telephone (420 257 532 716; Consular Section’s fax (420) 257 534 028; webpage: www.usembassy.cz.

International Adoption : March 2006

The information below has been edited from a report of the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs, Office of Overseas Citizens Services. For more information, please read the International Adoption section of this book and review current reports online at www.travel.state.gov/family.

Disclaimer: The information in this flyer relating to the legal requirements of specific foreign countries is based on public sources and current understanding. Questions involving foreign and U.S. immigration laws and legal interpretation should be addressed respectively to qualified foreign or U.S. legal counsel.

Please Note: The Czech Republic is a party to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption and will only approve intercountry adoptions when the prospective adopting parent(s) reside in a country that has also ratified the Convention. Prospective adoptive parents who are U.S. citizens but legal residents of the Czech Republic may adopt orphans under Czech law.

U.S. citizens who reside outside the United States and are considering adopting in the Czech Republic should, prior to beginning the adoption process, confirm whether the country they reside in is a party to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption. Please see the Web site for the Hague Conference on Private International Law for updates.

Patterns of Immigration: Please review current reports online at travel.state.gov/family.

Adoption Authority:

Central Office for International Legal Protection of Juveniles
(“Urad pro Mezinarodnepravni ochranu deti”)
Benesova 22
60200 Brno, Czech Republic
Tel: (420) 54221 5443 through 5.

Eligibility Requirements for Adoptive Parents: Both married and single persons may adopt Czech children. There can be a maximum of 40 years between the prospective adoptive parents and the child.

Residency Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents must be legal residents of the Czech Republic or reside in a country that is also party to the Hague Adoption Convention. In addition, Czech authorities may require prospective adoptive parents to care for the child for up to two years prior to approving an adoption.

Important Note: As was stated above, U.S. citizens residing in the United States should not try to initiate a Czech adoption until the United States has ratified the Hague Adoption Convention.

Time Frame: It takes about two years from original application to the end of process.

Adoption Agencies and Attorneys: There are no private adoption agencies in the Czech Republic. Prospective adoptive parents may locate an adoptable child either by contacting a local social service office or by hiring an attorney familiar with the Czech social services system. The U.S. Embassy in Prague maintains a list of Czech attorneys; this list may be obtained in person from the consular section of the U.S. Embassy or via the Embassy’s web site at: http://prague.usembassy.gov/con_am_legal.html.

Adoption Fees: There are officially no fees for adoption. There are fees for court papers and new birth certificate in the range of tens of dollars. Prospective adoptive parents can expect to pay attorneys fees for services rendered.

Adoption Procedures: Once a child is located for adoption, the following requirements must be met:

• A written request from the Central Authority of the prospective adoptive parents must be mailed to the Central Office for International Legal Protection of Juveniles. The request is forwarded to the appropriate guardian authority (usually the Department of Youth of the local town hall).
• Often a period of 3-24 months of pre-adoption care of the child by the adoptive parents is required.

Czech district Court have jurisdiction on decisions in adoption cases of children to be adopted on the Czech territory. The Czech Central Authority for Adoption must approve adoptions to foreign countries. Czech district courts have jurisdiction on decisions in adoption cases.

Documentary Requirements: Adopting parents are also required to present the following supporting documents translated into the Czech language by a court translator and certified by the Czech Embassy in Washington, D.C.:

• Parents’ Birth Certificates;
• Marriage Certificate, if applicable;
• Police Certificates/Clearances for all countries where prospective adoptive parents have resided for extended periods of time;
• Parents’ Medical Certificates/Clearances;
• Evidence of Employment and Financial Status;
• Completed Home Study by competent authority in prospective adoptive parents’ country of residence.

Embassy and Consulates in the United States:

Embassy of the Czech Republic
3900 Spring of Freedom Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
tel. (202) 274-9103
Fax: (202) 363-6308
Web site: http://www.mzv.cz/washington

The Czech Republic also has consulates in Los Angeles and New York.

U.S. Immigration Requirements: Prospective adoptive parents are strongly encouraged to consult USCIS publication M-249, The Immigration of Adopted and Prospective Adopting Children, as well as the Department of State publication, International Adoptions. Please see the International Adoption section of this book for more details and review current reports online at travel.state. gov/family.

U.S. Embassy in the Czech Republic:

American Citizen Services Unit
U.S. Embassy
Trziste 15
118 01 Prague 1
Czech Republic
Tel. (420) (25702-2000)
Fax: (420) (25753-4028)
Web site:http://www.usembassy.cz